“Greg it is, then. It’s good to see you.”

“Nice sneakers.”

I glance down at my Chucks. “I’m going axe throwing this evening.”

He tilts his head as though he’s never heard of the activity until now. “Right.” Then he raises an eyebrow, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “Have you been avoiding me?”

“Not really, no. It’s just . . . I’m organizing a series of career days for my classes, so I’ve been super busy.”

He curves his mouth into a knowing grin. “And avoiding me.”

I drop my shoulders. “Is this about the lunch the other day? Because I cleaned up the room afterward. I’m happy to—”

“It’s not about the lunch, Ms. Pereira. You can put that out of your mind. Your fellowship ends soon, so I wanted to get your feedback. Do you have a few minutes to chat?”

“Oh, sure. Absolutely.”

We walk the short distance to his office, and I take a seat in front of his desk. He strikes a few lines on a Post-it Note, as if he’s tracking his to-do list, and sits back in his chair. “So the end of your fellowship is fast approaching, and I just wanted to express my appreciation for your contributions. I also wanted to ask about your experience here. Has it been a positive one?”

“It has. The students are sponges, and the classroom is just so full of life. At first, I didn’t know how the year would go. They seemed wary of my intentions. And some of them haven’t received the support from teachers they deserved. But once they started warming to me, we got into a good rhythm. I’m hopeful they’ll secure internships soon. With Victory’s guidance, of course.”

“Yes, about that,” he says, reaching for a file and opening it in front of him. “The board read your recommendations. They’d like to implement several, and they hate that our budget constraints prevent them from offering you a permanent position.”

I’d never tell Dr. Cabrini this, but I’m relieved the board can’t offer me a job. It makes my decision to leave DC infinitely easier. Sometimes having choices just means you’ll make the wrong ones. “It’s okay, Greg. I have something lined up.”

“Well, not so fast,” he says. “I passed on your recommendations to Ms. Dotty for her input since she’s our most senior staff member. She was very impressed. Said your suggestions would breathe new life into the program, and I agree.”

That’s lovely. Really. But what is the point of all this?

“You see, Ms. Dotty’s been considering retirement for some time, and apparently reading your vision for the program convinced her that now is the perfect time for her to step aside.”

“Oh God, why? Ms. Dotty’s an institution.”